US BISHOPS URGE McDONALD’s TO WORK FOR BETTER WAGES, WORKING CONDITIONS FOR FLORIDA TOMATO PICKERS!

October 2nd, 2006

In an extraordinary letter released by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Office of Media Relations, the US Bishops have called on McDonald’s to improve wages and working conditions for the workers who pick their tomatoes. Here’s an excerpt:

“McDonalds and other major food companies do not directly set farm workers’ wages and working conditions,” Bishop DiMarzio said. “But with your substantial purchasing power, you can insist that your produce suppliers meet high ethical standards in how they treat their workers. Farm workers should participate in setting and monitoring those standards, as workers know best the conditions to be remedied. In the “Responsible Purchasing” statement on its website, McDonald’s states ‘we know we can work with our suppliers to help improve their practices and set an example for other companies.’ I urge you to apply that standard to how your produce suppliers treat farm workers. Given the competitiveness of global produce markets and the significance that your company’s business constitutes for any individual grower, I hope that you will agree that McDonald’s is in a position to require and enable suppliers to meet the standards you set.” SEE THE FULL RELEASE HERE

10/3 UPDATE… News of the US bishops’ letter to McDonald’s has gone out on the Associated Press wire and today alone was carried by nearly 100 news outlets nationally and internationally, including this story on the BBC, "Bishops ask McDonald’s to pay up"!

HIGHLIGHTS

What they're saying about the McDonald's Victory:

Former US Pres. and Nobel Laureate Jimmy Carter:

"This is a clear and welcome example of positive industry partnership. It demonstrates also McDonald’s leadership in social responsibility and CIW’s importance as a voice for farmworker rights. I encourage others to now follow the lead of McDonald’s and Taco Bell to achieve the much needed change throughout the entire Florida-based tomato industry."

Kerry Kennedy, RFK Memorial Center for Human Rights:

"Human rights are held by all persons equally, universally, and forever. Corporations must realize these rights are indivisible and interdependent. Without these rights slavery, poverty and abuse will continue in America’s retail food industry, tainting the salads and sandwiches of those who do not stand up for human dignity. Congratulations to the Coalition of Immokalee Workers and to McDonald’s for their historic accomplishment, setting the standards for human rights in the retail food industry."

United Students Against Sweatshops (USAS):

"Congratulations to the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) and the Student Farmworker Alliance (SFA) for showing the fast food industry what worker, student, and community power is! Taco Bell felt it and now McDonalds, so watch out Burger King."